


Another Chance Given

by adventuresofnic



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: After Life, Character Development, Clexa, F/F, Fix-it fic, Grounder Culture, More characters to be added, Plot Development, Praimfaya, Second Chance, The Flame - Freeform, lots of pinning, slowburn-ish, time travel-ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-08-10 21:58:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16463108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adventuresofnic/pseuds/adventuresofnic
Summary: Lexa is confused. Just a few moments ago she was dying in Clarke’s bed and now she is in the center of a field being told she’s been given a second chance?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I kind of disappeared off the face of the earth there for a while. But, I’m back! I’ve been needing a fix-it fic so I’ve taken it upon myself to do such. This is not beta-ed, all mistakes are mine.  
> -Nic

Lexa is not entirely sure where she is at the moment. The last thing she remembers is laying on Clarke’s bed as she whispered prayers from the sky while her blood stained the furs beneath her black. She remembers feeling Clarke’s lips on hers for the last time. But now, there is a blinding light in front of her when she cracks her eyes open and she feels the tickling of grass against her back. Slowly, she lifts her eyelids and as her vision adjusts she can decipher the summer sun hanging high in the sky. Lexa pulls her supine body into a sitting position and gazes around, taking in what is before her. The sounds of the meadow reach her ears; familiar birds sing their songs, insects hum, and the whir of the wind blows past. The grass is about knee high with different types of flowers contrasting keenly with their colours. The meadow itself expands several hundred yards in each direction, Lexa being the center. The tall trees acting as an unknown barrier are thick and dense, similar to those found in the lands of Trikru. She does not recognize this place. She looks down at herself, the dark clothing is not hers and her feet are bare. Her shirt is similar to what she was wearing moments ago except the sleeves are cut short and her pants end at her calves.  


On unsteady legs, she makes the moves to stand and not being graceful by any means; Lexa stumbles at first but rights herself, feeling like this is her first time walking. With her feet firmly planted in the warm dirt, she lifts the clothing covering her torso. She expects to find the pierce of a bullet or a jagged scar, something to indicate her lethal injury but instead there is nothing. Her brows pull together as she takes her right hand to feel the area of her stomach where she knows she was shot. But still, there is nothing. Not even the slightest bit of pain as she palpates her abdomen.  


“You won’t find anything.” A voice comes from behind her. Lexa jumps, startled, but quickly regains her composure and turns around ready to defend herself. The shirt drops back into place and her knees still shake but she stands her ground and looks at the person now in front of her. “Hello Lexa.” She greets.  


“Anya?” Lexa was stunned. The dark blonde was exactly how she remembered her. Strong and stoic on the outside, but the look in her eye shows warmth and friendliness to her old second. She does not wear her battle armor, Lexa notes. But rather, she is in similar garments to her. “What.. how?” She breathes, as her stance relaxes.  


“You’re dead, Lexa.” Anya says bluntly, coming to stand closer to her old companion.  


“Is this..?” Her question trailing off, Lexa is even more confused now.  


“No. This is not the City of Light.” Answering the unfinished question. She nods, and begins to walk towards a path carved into the woods indicating for her to follow.  


“Where am I then?” Lexa jogs slightly to catch up.  


“A holding place of sorts. They are debating.” Anya replies cooly, stepping over roots and ducking under branches as if this is a path she has taken hundreds of times before.  


“They?” Lexa asks, hot on her heels.  


“So full of questions. It is almost like you are my second again, little one.” The dark blonde throws her a smirk. “The gods. They are debating on sending you back.”  


“What? Why would they do that? I’m dead, there’s no point.” Why would they not allow her soul to move on and into the next commander? Her mind races, yes they had religion but Lexa was never really one to dwell on these gods, she was always concerned with the past commanders and flame.  


“Oh no. There are plenty of points, Heda.” Anya stops and turns to Lexa. “Things are very bad back on earth, Lexa.” She seems to whisper. “After your death, everything fell. The Kongeda fractured until it became nothing but pieces. People died. The earth went up in flames. Humanity is gone.” She throws all of this at her at once and the color from Lexa’s face drains away, and it looks like death has taken her again. That can’t be. Everything she worked for, lived for, it can’t be gone. She is sure Aden would have carried her legacy.  


“No, Aden wouldn’t allow that to happen.” She defends weakly, a part knowing Anya has no reason to lie to her.  


“Aden is gone.” She replies solemnly. “They all are, the natblida’s. Ontari slaughtered them in their sleep.”  


Lexa feels the solid ground beneath her feet give way as she leans into the nearest tree and slides down it to where she is sitting again.  


“Speak true, Anya.” She begs her old mentor, silent tears forming in her eyes. Willing for this to not be.  


“I’m sorry, Heda. Look around you.” She instructs, and when she does she sees it all. The tranquil forest that once surrounded her along the trail is no longer there, rather clouds of death and fire take its place. The first thing that catches Lexa’s eyes is the image of Clarke standing over her crying and then it flickers into Titus picking up and carrying her body out of the room, locking the blonde and sky boy in. Looking to her left she watches as Ontari cuts the heads off of each and every one of her nightbloods until it morphs into the azgedian sitting upon her throne, the bag stained black beside her. She stays silent as black blood flows into Clarke and transports her to the City of Light. Lexa glances to her right and witnesses Lincoln take a bullet through his skull. Next to it is Clarke in some type of suit in a concrete confinement saying goodbye to her friends over one of those radios. Behind Anya she sees the world go up in flames as fire consumes it all. The last cloud she settles her eyes on is Clarke laying on the ground, blisters covering her face and body as the radiation eats away at her. All around her there is death and destruction. 

“How long has it been? Since I...?” Lexa asks, her eyes glazed over and voice small. She still sits upon the ground.  


“Two years.”  


“I’ve been here that long? It seems like it just happened.” She looks up at Anya then, her facial features reading that of a scared child. Yet truly, all she can seem to think about is Clarke and how long she has been away from her, especially after their newfound feelings. How she must have felt these past years, suffering instead of doing more than surviving.  


“Time passes differently here.” The general explains and takes a place next to the brunette on the path, the clouds of images coming back to trees and foliage. “What seems like minutes here has been months on earth, it’s strange but you get used to it.” In the moment those words left Anya’s mouth Lexa knew she did not want to get used to it.

“Anya, I-“ Cut off from her words a loud crack of thunder crosses the small world around them just as she was about to tell her old friend this.  


“It seems that they have come to a decision.” Anya says in reference to these gods that are behind this whole ordeal. She looks ahead of them and stands, offering a hand to the Commander. Lexa takes it and meets her eye to eye. “You are to return.”  


“Return?” Her brows furrow.  


“To earth, fix these wrongs and change the projected future. If anyone can do it, you can Lexa.” Anya gives her a small smile and offers her arm in a traditional Trikru goodbye. “May we meet again, Heda.” When Lexa grasps her friends forearm she disappears and so does the forest around them.  


Lights of every color fly past her in an informidable pattern, there is no ground beneath her feet or air surrounding her body. Almost as if she is free-falling through nothingness. She cannot breathe, but it is not bad. There is tranquility around her and for once, Lexa feels at peace. It ends as adrubtly as it started though, the lucidity quickly coming to a halt. 

Suddenly she can breathe again, Lexa jerks up and inhales sharply as air floods her lungs. She feels firm but soft bedding beneath her and wolf fur licks at her thighs. Quickly throwing the blankets off of her hot body, the cool air bites at her skin through her nightdress as she makes her way to the balcony off of her room. Lexa swings the doors open in a flourish and steps out, looking at the wide city before her. Lamplights illuminate the streets, some civilians roaming around despite the time of the night and smoke from fires tumble out of houses. It is her city, Polis. And it is all in once piece, the images of dust and embers falling around the broken rubble run vivid in her minds eye. She becomes determined to not let this become the fate of her people. 

Lexa grips the handrails of the balcony until her knuckles turn white, she grits her teeth and sends silent thank yous to whatever gods brought her back with the knowledge to warn off this threatening future. She begins to wonder what time exactly she was sent back to. Is this before praimfaya? Has Ontari murdered her natblidas? Where is Clarke? As questions fill her head it seems she is given an answer as the sky burns bright behind a falling orb. It highlights the north side of the tower and city before disappearing under the tree-line. She remembers seeing this before, in the past. That time she did not know what the object was, curious yet afraid for her people's safety at the falling sky. But now, she knows. It is Skaikru's initial landing, it is Clarke's coming home.


	2. Chapter 2

Lexa stays awake all night until the sun peaks over the horizon and her official duties as Heda begin. She spent the last few hours devising a plan and thinking of ways to approach the Skaikru. If this is just like the last time then the one hundred children send down in the ship crashed into one of the Trikru's villages, and her people will demand retribution for their insolence.  


With the added threat of Clarke and her friends attempting to access the mountain, Lexa's hands had been tied. Before, she had sent a small army to take care of them before it became an issue but now she see's the best way of dealing with the intruders is to come up to them out right instead of lurking in the shadows and giving them a reason to be afraid. After all, they are just children and are very malleable. If she can cure the problems before they arise then ultimately the induction of Skaikru as the thirteenth clan will be much smoother. The true difficulty will be getting to the crash site before Clarke sets out to find mount weather.  


So, as soon as the suns rays fill the air Lexa calls a meeting between the ambassadors and herself. She sits upon her throne, still found in the same place that the rouge nightblood Ontari sat in the past- or rather would be future. She sits there calmly, her Heda mask in place despite the fact that her insides are twisting up and her breathing hitching every now and then at the idea of using the flame as an excuse to initiate contact with the sky people.  


One by one the representatives fill the room, each taking their place, standing in front of their designated chairs. Until finally all are present. Titus stands beside her, she is tense and wary of his presence, knowing that she will have to do something about him so he does not become an issue in the future but for now she must handle the sky people. She rises from her throne and stands tall, back ramrod straight with her hands clasped behind her back. Lexa is the full embodiment of power and grace.  


”Welcome, Ambassadors.” She greets, meeting each eye to eye. Slight dismay in seeing the Azgeda ambassador she had kicked from her tower previously back again. “Have a seat, we have much to discuss.” She commands, resuming her position. Resting her chin gently upon her closed fist she begins as soon as each person has seated. “If you are not already aware, a piece of the sky came falling last night. It appears to have landed in Trikru territory.”  


”Yes Heda, I received word before you called a meeting from one of my scouts.” The Trikru ambassador confirms. “One of our villages is gone. Luckily, there were not many people left there due to the sickness that took over a few weeks ago. But still, twelve Trikru members have perished in this crash. My scout reported nothing but children in the vessel.” He seems troubled but not downright angry as he was last time, Lexa assumes this is because before there was no illness that overcame the village and he had lost over a hundred people instead of twelve.  


“Polis will reinstate you for any resources you may have lost during this accident.” Lexa offers hoping the ambassador for her old clan will accept. It will make everything much easier later on, when he nods his head a slight sigh of relief exits the commander. She turns her head to address the rest of those present “I will lead a small army to inspect these intruders and find their purpose for being here. Where they come from and what they wish to obtain.”  


Murmurs suddenly break out through the room, wondering why their Heda is going through all of this when with just a few words she can wipe them off the face of the earth. The ambassador from the Plain Riders clan is the one who finally speaks, “Heda, if I may. Why go through all the trouble?” Lexa was expecting something like this to occur, she had came prepared with a well rehearsed reply.  


”The past Commanders came to me last night as the sky was lit up from this ship.” She tells, eyes closing as to remember before opening them slowly. “They tell me that these children will be of great use to us in the near future. We need them on our side.” The clans seem to be stunned, not often does Lexa speak of her connection to the past rulers. Looking across their faces she sees belief written across them all and she is satisfied. Rising from her seat and taking a step down the platform, all of the ambassadors follow. “I wish to initiate contact as soon as possible. I am requesting an army of two hundred gona’s to accompany me to the site of the crash. We will leave in one candle mark.”  


A chorus of “Sha, Heda” and bowed heads occur as the crowded room slowly filters out until it is only she and Titus are left.  


”Heda-“ The Flamekeeper begins but before Lexa must bear through his rantings of what is right and what is wrong she holds up a hand to stop him. She looks him in the eye, daring for him to continue.  


”If you truly believe you know better than the past Commanders Titus then I think I will need to reinstate a new Fleimkepa.” Fire burns in her blood, knowing this is the man who attempted to murder Clarke before and killed herself. At the mention of having him replaced any form of argument the bald man had is gone, and Lexa thinks that new a Flamekeeper may not be such a terrible idea. Especially if she can obtain one that agrees with her projected future.  


“Of-course not, Heda.” He stumbles as his bewilderment is still present on his face. Ducking his head lowly in an apology.  


”Good, because my decision has already been made.” She states and turns, walking with purpose as she exits the throne room. As she makes her way through the tower she cannot stop the visions of this iconic landmark turning to rubble. Lexa absolutely refuses to allow that to happen.  


Steadily making her way to her own room she passes by Gustus. He dips his head in respect and greets her. Stunned she replies weakly, her steps slowed but continuing nonetheless. Then she thinks, if Gustus is back then Anya must be as well. She will have to stop in TonDC anyway to obtain pieces of her army before going to the crash site but she can also have the General accompany her as well.  


”Commander, are you alright?” Gustus’ deep voice comes from behind her. “You look as if you have seen a ghost.” Turning around to face her old friend she exhales harshly through her nose, bracing herself.  


”It feels as though I have.”


	3. Chapter 3

The short days ride to TonDC seems to be overall, without consequences. The warriors fall in line, walking and knowing their place behind their Heda as she sits gallantly upon her horse. Aside from a few high ranking warriors acting as Lexa's guards the only other people riding the beasts are Gustus and Indra. The brunette glances over to Indra, her dark complexion contrasting nicely with her full armor. She did not have to say goodbye to her in the previous world, somehow being spared from Pike and his forces to send Lexa a message. So, she was not shocked by any means to see the general accompany her to the village. Gustus however, she is still wary around. While she is happy that he is alive here and that he too gets another chance, she is aware of his dislike towards the sky people. Lexa can only hope that he does not choose the same path he did then. After all, she does not want to plunge her sword through the man she often saw as a father. When she looks towards him she see's that to anyone else he would seem impassive, but she knows the turmoil raging in him.  


"Chit yu gaf, Gostos?" She asks in her native tongue, low in her throat. He raises his eyes from the path in front of them to meet hers.  


"Disha hukop." He replies, seeming somewhat abashed.  


"Why is that?" Lexa questions, switching over to English since many grounders do not know it well and she does not want anyone eavesdropping on her conversation.

"Something about it all seems to be eating away at me, it makes me uneasy." He says, a frown crossing his features. Lexa gets the suspicion that Gustus' restlessness may be coming from the last time this happened, feeling his previous death lurking around him.  


"Do not worry, my friend. I have faith from all the Commanders that this will be well." She tries to quell any doubts.  


"Sha, Heda. I believe in your faith." And with that the remainder of the ride is silent.

Slowly, the edges of Tondisi begins to emerge. First with a few small huts followed by vendors until a full market place opens up before them. The village where Lexa grew up is such a welcoming sight, especially after the time she has had recently. At the center of the town she finds a familiar dark blonde staring at her, awaiting their arrival with dark smudges of warpaint surrounding her knowing eyes and an army behind her. The civilians gape in the wake of their Heda as she rides past, it is not often she visits. As she comes to a stop in front of the other woman she greets her. 

"Anya kom Trigedakru, I see you have an army to offer us." Lexa is formal with her general, not knowing if she is aware of her past life and the meeting she had with her a little while ago. 

"Heda, it is good to see you." Anya offers her arm out to the Commander when she slides from her horse. It is the same arm she had offered in the woods before Lexa was sent back. She was slightly wary in taking her mentors arm, hoping that it would not jerk her right back into the afterlife and end all of this before she even had a real chance to begin. A chance to see Clarke. A few still moments of silence among the village and Anya glancing at her curiously and albeit a bit nervously Lexa grasps her arm. 

"You as well." She returns, releasing the other girls arm after a few shakes. She stands straight and clasps her hands behind her back, clearing her throat. "I wish to head out to the crash as quickly as possible, is your squadron ready?" 

"Of course, Commander. We await your call." 

"Good. I want you to come with." Lexa nods to Anya. The general at first seems shocked because Indra too is accompanying her, but she dips her head and agrees. Lexa then looks around at the bodies surrounding her, many of which are ready to go and die at her disposal. "This is not a mission of war but rather a mission of diplomatic intentions." She raises her voice so each gona can hear her, she does not want anyone causing trouble for her. One miscalculated step and her plan crumbles. "You are there to contain, not to kill." The army obeys her command, each agreeing to the terms. "We leave now." And with that she strides back to her horse and mounts him, pulling at the reins to lead him in the direction of the crash and sky yongons. The sounds of warriors following closely behind her feels empowering even if it is just a minuscule bunch, she just hopes that this first interaction does not end in bloodshed from either party.

After the few hours it takes to get to the location of the Dropship, whooping and hollering of the delinquents can be heard from several hundred yards away, through the trees and elevation of the slight hill Lexa and her people are posted at she can see a few of them running around aimlessly. 

"They are branwadas, being so loud and ignorant. How can they be of use to us, Commander?" Indra asks in disbelief as she witnesses the unpleasant sight of teenagers in front of her. 

"Em pleni, Indra. I know what I am doing, there is one in particular that will benefit the Kongeda greatly." And myself, Lexa thinks but quickly dismisses it. If Anya has made no indication of remembering anything from the previous time around, especially considering she was the one who helped send her back then there is no guarantee that Clarke remembers it either. And, there is also a chance that she may not develop feelings towards her in this world as well. Blinking to clear her mind, Lexa orders fifteen guards to accompany her, Anya, and Indra to meet the skai people. Fifteen being a seemingly nonthreatening number compared to one hundred but the Commander knows that her select group would easily be able to lay waste to them if it came down to it. Really, the only reason she called upon an army in the first place was to use it as a intimidation tactic; assuming that the children attempt to put up a fight against her terms. It is certainly not her preferred way of this going but only time will tell that. 

Her group begins their silent trek through the trees, not making a sound, to the makeshift camp. The intruders seem to be sprawled out in every direction, making it harder to avoid detection until Lexa can get to the place she wants to be but not impossible. She hopes that they have not left yet, because if they have then the scouts that Anya placed around the borders will see them and the moment they attempt to cross to mount weather the same path of distrust will follow the spear. At the edge of the tree-line Lexa and her group crouch down in the foliage. Almost thirty yards from the dropship, Lexa hears her sweet voice. Her eyes follow and skip around till she lands on a golden halo and heart begins to beat at an unsteady rate in her chest. 

"If we follow the river we'll only have to cross it once and then we will practically be at mount weathers gates." Clarkes tone has not reached the full commanding capabilities it can just yet, but regardless, she directs the lot of five people gathered around with her to peer at what seems to be a map. At the mention of mount weather Lexa feels a jab to her ribs, whipping her head around to look at Anya. 

"Mounon?" Anya whispers angrily, a fire lit in her eyes. Seeming as if in that moment she could kill the entire camp single handed. 

"Shop of, ai get em in." Lexa scolds, she has a plan. "We need to make ourselves known." Her warriors and generals look at as though she has grown a second head, she is wanting to still meet with these people after hearing they want to go to the mountain? Still, she stands from her position with confidence and strides out from the trees. Leaving her people with nothing to do but follow her movements. 

The first to notice their presence is a younger looking dark skin boy, Lexa makes eye contact with him as his face falls ashen and he drops the stick he had in his hands. His mouth opens and closes a few times before words finally come out, only a whisper at first before finally getting loud enough to reach the ears of the others. "P... people... people. People!" Everything coming to a halt in the camp, loud clangs can be heard as they let go of what they were doing to stare at the grounders that seemed to appear from no where. 

"Please." Lexa asks or rather commands, her voice reverberating through out the camp. "We mean you no harm." She says as she steps forward with her palms held toward the sky at her waist, a sign of peace. She glances back to where Clarke is and just as the very first time she saw her enter her war tent all that time ago, Lexa's air from her lungs is taken as she meets blue orbs with her green ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng translations:  
> Chit yu gas, Gostos? - What is it, Gustus?  
> Disha hukop. - I'm worried.  
> Em pleni, Indra. - Enough, Indra.  
> Mounon? - Mountain?  
> Shop of, ai get em in. - Be quiet, I know.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I’m really on a roll with this story. I don’t think I’ve ever had inspiration like this before (except that fanfic I wrote for the hunger games back in 2012) :)  
> -Nic

“Who the hell are you?” Approaches a man with thick dark curly hair, his fayagon raised and aimed high at Lexa, she flinches slightly; it goes unnoticed to the delinquents however. The idea of being shot again is not pleasant. It is Bellamy Blake, brother to Octavia, she recalls. A group of delinquents follow behind him, each holding makeshift weapons. The face off between the grounders and sky crew makes the air in the camp tense, it electrifies it. The call of a battle is difficult for Indra and Anya to deny, but both step forward to defend their Heda, swords drawn just in case.  


Lexa holds up her hand to stop her generals, ready to slit the throat of the man who dares to step closer. “I am Lexa kom Trikru, Commander of the Coalition. And you are on my lands.” She states, leveling Bellamy with an even stare through her warpaint.  


“What does that even mean?” He asks, clearly confused. “There shouldn’t be any humans here, the ground is supposed to be uninhabitable.” The large word she is unfamiliar with throws Lexa off for a moment, but she assumes it means something that her people shouldn’t be on earth. “Who are you, really? Which station did you come from?” He says, taking another foot forward as his hands grip the gun harder.  


Anya matches him from the side, extending her arm until her sword is under his jaw. “Take one more step and your blood will be mine, Skai boy.” Her eyes dark and rigid. Bellamy swallows hard and lowers his weapon  


“General.” She calls Anya off, the woman looks at her for a moment before removing her weapon and resuming her place beside her. “I wish to speak to the person in charge. I am willing to negotiate terms of your stay.” Lexa says, settling her feet shoulder width apart and bringing her hands together behind her back. Becoming the image of power once again.

“I’m in charge.” Bellamy states as if it is obvious, his chest puffing out slightly.  


“No, you are not.” She dismisses, her eyes moving from him to Clarke who has come to stand behind a few people. Her golden hair still being very noticeable to Lexa though, despite how hard she is trying to make herself invisible in this moment. “She is.” Lexa nods her head at Clarke and the few persons in front of her clear so the Commander has a direct view. Clarke’s face is pale, having been called out. She takes cautious steps until she is beside Bellamy.  


“Clarke is not in charge here, I am.” The man tries again but Lexa cuts her vision from her past lover to him and he quiets down.  


“I will speak with her and only her.” Lexa nods her head to Anya and Indra to Clarke. An indication to bring her with them. She turns around to begin her trek back to her army as the two generals each grab one of the blondes arms.  


“Wait! No!” A deep voice calls and she has to restrain a groan. She needs to get on with things, no more delays. But she turns right back around to see what is the cause. A dark boy is breathing hard and is glancing worriedly between Clarke and herself. “Take me instead.” He offers, as if he is more valuable.  


“Wells, no.” Clarke says, soft but stern. “I got this.” She sounds as if she thinks she is going to her death. And then Lexa realizes; the way the two are gripped onto her arms, roughly pushing her to keep moving, and the warpaint all of them are sporting. They do seem quite threatening, and she does not want to scare Clarke- or risk her chance at an alliance either.  


“Onya, Indra. Hod op.” She commands and the two stop instantly. “Klark will return to you soon enough, I only need her for diplomatic purposes.” Some personal, she tacks on in her head. The delinquents do not seem convinced by any means but she does not have time to worry about them. Their loyalty will come eventually.  


Lexa focuses on the blonde and as her heart skips she says, “I apologise for the roughness of my generals.” And at being chastised the grips on her arms loosen considerably. “Please, walk with me.” She offers as she turns to continue, her group doing the same.  


Clarke hesitantly goes to her, caution radiating from her. It hurts Lexa minutely at the distrust, but it confirms her beliefs that she does not remember either. They leave the camp without any problems after the small disruption of the boy named Wells. Lexa briefly recalls Clarke mentioning him in the past life. 

Indra, to say the least, is very unhappy. The Commander seems trusting of these people in such a short amount of time, despite flinching at the boy who raised a fayagon to her head. And now, she allows this girl to walk beside her? She is not worthy of that.  


“Heda, laik yu knou chit yur duin?” Indra question in their tongue.  


Lexa sighs slightly in annoyance “Sha, Indra.” She confirms for what seems to be the hundredth time.  


“What... what are you guys saying?” Clarke asks, voice small but bold. She is afraid but trying to appear not. The dark skin woman grunts.

“Patience. You will learn.” Lexa promises, a tone to her voice that no one has heard the Commander use before. It sounds almost playful. Clarke stumbles along the path slightly, her feet not completely used to uneven ground quite yet. It swells Lexa’s heart, but she knows she cannot get ahead of herself. After all, she must change the future before anything.  


As they come to approach her army after a number of minutes walking, they hear their movements before they see them. And when the group comes to the top of the hill, Lexa stops, allowing the blonde leader to take in the sight.  


Her eyes widen and her mouth drops, the two hundred gona’s stop their ministrations of keeping themselves busy as one by one they notice their Commander.  


“Heda gon jus.” The army announces at once, falling to their knees in some type of sequence. Her group behind her dip their heads in respect. Clarke looks around her, bewildered and taken back.  


“Should I do something?” She asks nervously, feeling awkward that she is the only one out of these people not.  


“Stay where you are for now, you are unfamiliar with our customs so it will not be penalized against you.” Lexa tries to ease her as she goes to address her warriors. “Stand.” Her voice travels across the clearing they are gathered at and just as she commanded, they do.  


Clarke is truly shocked at the sheer number of people there are, and how close they were to her camp without them even noticing. If there are this many here, she wonders how many there are elsewhere.  


Lexa begins to walk down the hill, the army splitting to allow her entrance. Some glare at the blonde as she follows but none say anything. They clear a straight path towards a tent set up at the center of it all. Guards stand at the opening, lowering their heads as Lexa shoves the flap back and walks in.  


Only Clarke and her generals follow her in, watching as she sits cooly onto her throne. Anya and Indra stand rigid while the sky girl glances around.  


“Bants osir.” She requests with a wave of her hand. The generals look at each other, thinking the same.  


“Ste biliak a wes tho, Heda?” Anya asks, hesitant to leave.  


“Taim yu think ai can nou defen ai self gon disha skai gada den yu laik misha, General.” She challenges, a brow raised.  


“Gon cos nou, ai apaiges.” Anya apologies and both her and Indra make their way out from the tent. Clarke, who was troubled through the entire exchange between the grounders watch them leave.  


The blonde looks to the Commander sitting on the throne and it all seems familiar, but in a distant way. Lexa on the other hand is having a severe case of ‘been here before’. She is excited but restrains herself from going and pulling Clarke close to her. She wants to beg her to remember but she knows she can’t. Too much is on the line. So, she settles to begin this conversation under diplomacy.  


“Klark.” Her tongue clicks the K as she says her name and it feels good in her mouth. “We have many things to come to terms to.” She says to Clarke in reference to the sky people’s landing and to herself in reference to her emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to improvise some trigedasleng here but it’s all good :)  
> -Nic  
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> Onya, Indra. Hod op. - Anya, Indra. Hold on.  
> Heda, laik yu knou chit yur duin? - Commander, do you know what you are doing?  
> Heda gon jus. - Commander of blood.  
> Bants osir. - Leave us.  
> Ste biliak a wes tho, Heda? - Is that a wise idea, Commander?  
> Taim yu think ai can nou defen ai self gon disha skai gada den yu laik misha, General. - If you think I can not defend myself against this sky girl then you are mistaken, General.  
> Gon cos nou, ai apaiges. - Of course not, my apologies.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is an absolute fuck-ton of clexa dialogue in this. Actually, that's all it is :)  
> -Nic

Clarke is as beautiful as the previous time around. She appears younger again, her sky eyes are wide and full of wonder at the world around her; not having been tainted by the cruelness it can offer. There are no worry lines creasing her mouth and forehead just yet, only smooth skin. Speaking of, it is far paler and cleaner than when they first met, no dirt or blood has came in contact and the sun has not been given a chance to kiss her flesh. She appears celestial to Lexa, unobtainable in a way.  


"Are there any more of you?" Lexa questions, her eyebrow quirking as if she doesn't already know the answer. Clarke looks at her then, moving her gaze away from the rest of the tent to focus solely on the Commander.  


"Yes, but they won't be coming to earth. At least, not any time soon." She adds the last part on in dismay.  


"Where are the rest? Where do you come from?"  


"I don't know if you'd believe me if I told you... Heda." When the blonde says her title in trigedasleng it sounds strange and unfamiliar, having not learned the accent that accompanies it. "Everything is different here."  


"I think you would be very surprised, skai girl." She challenges, sitting up straighter in her throne. Clarke seems to study her then, making her way over to where a table is set up towards one of the corners and begins picking at the wood chips with her fingernail as she chooses what to say next. After all, she isn't really sure who Lexa is or if she can trust them. The Commander understands her hesitancy.  


"I'm from space, there's a station called the Ark. More people are up there." Saying this she stops her tampering and looks again to the throne. Lexa is sitting there, trying her best to make it look like this is new information to her. "And well... they're dying. The Ark is dying, running out of oxygen- air." She concludes.  


"Why were you sent here? You are nothing but a child."  


"So are you." Clarke's brows raise pointedly.  


"Pardon?" Lexa is taken aback, none of their conversations ever went this way.  


"You can't be more than a few years older than me and you're leading a whole army out there." She shrugs, pulling at the hem of her jacket. Lexa cannot help but miss the way her people's clothing looked on the girl. There is nothing wrong with Skaikru's clothing on Clarke but she much prefers the grounder look.  


"I have more than an army, Klark." Steadying the conversation she attempts to bring it back around to where it was. "Why were you sent here." Lexa rises from her seated position and walks to stand opposite of Clarke across the table. It is best she stays out of reaching distance when they are alone, her fingers itch to touch the goddess again.  


"I told you, my home is dying and to say the least- we're expendable."  


"Expendable?"  


"Yeah, petty crimes were committed that got us all locked up at some point." She lowers her head. "I guess the counsel decided we were a waste of oxygen." Her tone is sad and it makes Lexa's heart ache.  


"I'm sorry." Is all she can offer. "That your own people did that to you."  


"There's no reason to be, you didn't have a thing to do with it. Hell, you didn't even know any of it existed." Clarke laughs in a minuscule way, trying to ease past this conversation. "People in the sky, that must be strange for you to think about."  


"Not quite." Lexa clinches her jaw. Oh how she wishes Clarke would remember. "I am not as close minded as I appear, the rest of my people I am unsure if I can say the same." She hums.  


"How many of you are there?" The golden leader asks.  


"More than I can count, the Coalition spreads across many clans. Sometimes it is hard to keep track." She reaches down under the table to pull at a wooden crate. Opening the lid she takes out one of her neatly packed war maps and removes the band from around it to spread it over the table top. "There are twelve clans under my rule."  


"That's.... impressive." Clarke settles on the word, peering at the parchment now laid out before her. Small details and landmarks are hand-drawn on the map, showing boundary lines and trading routes. It expands over a lot of territory. "So, you're like the queen?"  


"No, I am the Commander. I have limits to my power. Ultimately it is the people's choice." She doesn't know why she is telling and showing this Clarke all that she is. She knows she shouldn't be, but it is becoming increasingly hard to not want to tell her everything. Lexa bites the inside of her cheek, debating on clarifying her thoughts or not. "I have an offer to make, Klark kom Skaikru." She decides.  


"What is it, Commander?"  


"We work together for now, an alliance of sorts. And if it holds when the rest of your people fall from the sky then I may consider inducting you into my Coalition as the thirteenth clan." She stares into blue eyes as she says all of this, watching her reaction. "Obviously there will be terms that you must agree to."  


"Such as?" Clarke pushes.  


"First, you do not go near the mounon." She states, firmly.  


"Mounon?" She asks, confused at the word.  


"Mount Weather." Lexa corrects herself. "Those inside have been bleeding and torturing my people for decades, if you go near it then I will have no choice but to decimate you and your people." And she really does not want to do that.  


"There's others? Inside of Mount Weather?" Clarke questions, slightly bewildered. "We were told there would just be supplies there, to help us survive." 

"There are people inside, if they come outside they die. But they have done horrible things to my people for centuries; turning men into bloodthirsty monsters, bleeding the very life from them, and releasing an acid fog upon us if we get too close to their precious hideaway." As Lexa says this her eyes become dark and her voice heavy, she will defeat the mountain this time. She will not allow that burden to rest on her shoulders. "They are vile and bring nothing but harm, I'm telling you to stay away from them not only as a condition of this alliance but for your own safety." 

The blonde looks at her with wide eyes, not comprehending the world she was sent to. "Seems very serious. I'll see what I can do, I will talk it over with the other delinquents." Clarke promises. The Commander nods her head and begins with the other conditions.  


"Second, I will have a perimeter set up around your camp and your people will not be allowed to go beyond those. Upon your arrival you wiped out a small village. Until I can mediate the expense of that it's best you stay near your ship." At the mention of the village Clarke's face immediately becomes worried.  


"A whole village was killed because of us?" Her faces pales. "I am so sorry, we didn't mean to. We didn't even know. How many were there? Is there anything we can do to make up for it?" She continues to rapid fire questions towards her until Lexa holds up her hand to stop her. When she finally does Lexa tries to ease her.  


"Clarke Griffin, I am aware you had no way of knowing and you will not be punished for your actions. The village was small due to a sickness outbreak a few weeks ago, only twelve people were lost. However, I am sure the clan leader of Trikru will not turn down your offer for help." Once the Commander answers all of her questions and concerns in some type of way it feels as though things may actually work out. "We can discuss more in depth tomorrow if you wish, I can only imagine how stressful today has been on you."  


"You have no idea." The other leader confirms, shaking her head. "I'll make sure they stay away from Mount Weather and close to the Dropship for now. I don't want you to be my enemy, Commander."  


"Neither do I, I think we can benefit each other greatly." Lexa says truthfully, believing the words with all her heart as they come from her mouth. "You may return back to your people now, Clarke. I am sure they are worried about you. One of my guards will escort you back and come for you in the morning so we can finish this peace talk." Clarke gives her a small smile and Lexa walks around the table. She stands in front and offers her arm to her, the blonde, unsure of what to do, goes to grab her hand in a handshake. Lexa shakes her head and reaches for her forearm, the other girl mimics her. "It is a traditional Trigeda greeting and goodbye." She explains. Lexa is content at the current situation, it seems as though everything is going exactly according to plan.  


"Oh." Is all she can reply with as she lets go, beginning to make her way to the flap of the tent. "I will see you tomorrow?" Clarke asks for confirmation and she gives her a nod. However, when the brunette is watching her leave she witnesses her body stop mid-step and tense up. Cocking her head to the side, Clarke looks back at her over her shoulder. "Heda?"  


"Yes?" She indulges. 

"How did you know my last name?" Lexa's blood runs cold at the question. Jok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you enjoy, my lovelies? Let me know :)  
> -Nic


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was very hard for me to write, purely because there were so many different ways I could have taken it. I hope you all enjoy the path I have chosen :)  
> -Nic

Lexa is thoroughly fucked to put it simply, her well crafted plan is seconds away from crumbling to nothing- all because she couldn't control her own tongue. How ridiculous. She stands there, her jaw clinched and body drawn tight; like an overloaded bow string about to snap. She feels hot, 'Do not overreact, work your way through this.' She tells herself. However, another voice inside her head decides to show up then.  


'Just tell her. If she doesn't believe you then you can make her.' By all ways yes, Lexa agrees with this one. But it's fragile right now, Clarke hasn't even been on the ground for a whole day yet and she doesn't want to cause any sort of disturbance. And if it comes down to it she does not want to push her own feelings onto her or prohibit her from becoming the leader she is supposed to be.  


The Commander chooses her next words carefully, "...When I called upon you as the one in charge I heard one of the children ask 'Clarke Griffin?'." She tilts her head to the right and tries to calm her features. "I assumed it was part of your title, I apologize if I have upset you." It is extremely hard for her to lie to Clarke, it is not something she wants to do by any means. But somehow, she manages to and it seems to be somewhat believable. Sweat drips down her neck, nervously. The blonde has since turned around to face her and now narrows her eyes, trying to determine whether or not it is the truth.  


"It's my surname." She confirms skeptically and crosses her arms over her chest. The look she is staring the Commander down with is enough to make her skin crawl, she has been on the receiving end of those looks before in Polis the previous time around. Thankfully, this one does not contain the menace the others did so it is far easier for Lexa to maintain her Heda persona, but something feels off.  


"Surname?" Lexa quizzes, bringing her brows together to convey confusion. There she goes again, pretending to not know when she in fact does.  


"You don't have them? They're like family names passed down from generation to generation." Clarke loosens her stance while she explains the concept. The brunette nods in understanding.  


"No, we do not have these surnames. Here you are identified by your clan." She cannot be happier that the conversation is slowly inching away from her slip up.  


"So I'm coming to learn." Clarke hums and uncrosses her extremities. Lexa on the other hand, is feeling tired suddenly so she slouches slightly. The blonde seems to notice. "Commander, are you alright? You look pale." 

"I am fine." Lexa dismisses her, despite the subtle shaking she begins to feel in her hands now, so she clasps them behind her back to hide it. Clarke studies her again, but lets it go. 

"I should go back to my camp then." As she says this she looks down, causing a piece of hair tucked behind her ear to fall into her face. Lexa ticks her fingers together to stop herself from crossing the expanse of the tent to push it back.  


"Yes, you should. Gostos." She raises her voice a minute amount when requesting his name, knowing the burly man is just outside of the entrance to her tent. Within moments he ducks under and makes his way in, making Clarke move from her spot in order to do so. "Kom daun Klark na em op kru." Lexa orders him. "Shil op em."  


"Sha, Heda." Gustus dips his head and waits for his dismissal.  


"Gustus will take you back to your camp, Clarke. And will return for you in the morning." The blonde leader nods her head and Lexa waves her hand to her old friend, directing him to take Clarke with him now.  


"Come skai girl." He calls to her and pulls back the flap of the tent, allowing her to pass underneath his arm. Before she is completely out of site Clarke looks behind her, meeting green eyes and Lexa could have sworn that she saw a look of familiarity cross over her face. But she does not have the availability to dwell on it for too long.  


The moment the two are out of the room the Commander releases a deep sigh and makes her way up to her throne, sitting down on the edge exasperated. Placing her face in her hands and leaning her elbows onto knees, she rubs at her temples trying to clear her jumbled thoughts. It is nearly night time by now and the weather is humidly hot, this causes Lexa to sweat in her signature jacket and pauldron. Either that or it's all the stress and nervousness of the day finally wearing down on her. She has been in this new time for about eighteen candle marks, everything seems to be moving so quickly.

As soon as sun broke this morning Lexa was setting her plan into action, requesting a meeting with the ambassadors and then setting out to Tondisi to gain the rest of her army for this encounter. An encounter that went over relatively smoothly, despite the firearm incident with Bellamy Blake. Granted, her minor slip up just minutes ago was handled and justified so that now it appears all is well. She can't shake the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially with the way all of this is going in the positive direction. This is not the way her world typically works. The Trikru representative should have requested jus drein jus draun be he did not, that was the most surprising. And the delinquents hardly put up any sort of fight when Clarke came back with her. It's strange, sort of like the calm before a storm.

Lexa is burning, she realizes coming out of her thoughts. There is moisture covering her skin like a layer of clothing and it makes her feel sick. She moves her head from her hands and stands from the throne. Unstable legs barely support her, much like they did in the field before she was sent back. Her vision is hazy and her breathing quickly becomes labored. Lexa fumbles with the buckle of her shoulder piece until she finally hears the satisfying click, allowing it to fall to the floor with a thud. 

She tears at the straps of her jacket, not caring if it gets damaged because all she wants at the moment is to get out of it. When they do give way the brunette shrugs it off quickly, bunching it up in her hands and practically throwing it to the ground. She stumbles to the table and grips onto the edges until her knuckles go pale. Lexa doesn't know what is going on, she has never felt this way before. Darkness creeps into the edges of her view and her breaths are ragged, it seems almost like blood loss but she hasn't lost any blood recently (at least not in this time).

Trying desperately to calm herself, she slips down onto her knees so her forehead rests against the table. If anyone was to come in at this moment she would undoubtedly be taken to the nearest healer, maybe that's what she needed. Lexa looks up to the entrance of the tent, willing for someone- anyone to come in and help her. The second she does though it sends her head spinning and she cannot stop from falling back onto her hindquarters, and eventually her back. So she lays there, sprawled out on the floor of her command tent, gazing up at the drapes of the roof. Her chest heaves with effort and her body tremors with heat, whatever is going on is not good, she knows that. She was fine nearly twenty minutes ago. 

Lexa's eyes flutter open and then closed, this happening off and on for at least several seconds until the black comes to block most of her sight except the center, almost like a tunnel. Vaguely, she registers footsteps and someone calling her. Her head falls to the side and she can barely make out Anya's dirty boots coming towards her, she's going to have to tell her to clean those one day. The general crouches down beside her and feels her body, the heat radiating from her is concerning. Lexa looks back to her friend sluggishly and see's her lips move, shouting at people outside but doesn't hear anything. 

Suddenly, more people surround her. She wants to tell them to get away from her, it already feels like fire in this tent and their extra body heat is not helping. All that comes out is a groan though. One person sticks out to her the most in all the commotion, and she has golden hair. Lexa watches as her people part for her but keep their weapons raised in case she tries anything, but Clarke wouldn't ever hurt her, never intentionally at least. She feels the back of her hand go to her forehead and then feels it slip under her shirt to feel her stomach. The Commander cannot stop the tremble of her muscles at being touched by the blonde again. 

"She's burning up." Clarke's voice is the only thing that comes through to her. Blue eyes stare down at her worriedly and the last thing she hears before she loses consciousness completely is -"I think she's in shock."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think ;)  
> -Nic  
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> Kom daun klark na em op kru. - Return Clarke to her people.  
> Shil op em. - Protect her.  
> Sha, Heda. - Yes, Commander.


	7. Chapter 7

Lexa slowly awakes from her peaceful slumber, feeling the most well rested she has in a long time. She opens her eyes to darkness and raises her hands above her head to stretch out her muscles. Small rocks scrape at her back as she does so and the chill of the cold concrete reaches into her limbs past her clothing. The Commander sits up from her place on the ground and tries to make out shapes in the shadows, but she finds nothing. This doesn’t look like a healers tent, and most certainly she would be on a cot if it was.

She comes to her feet and finds them bare, strange- but she stands nonetheless. When she does she is unsteady but the feeling soon passes. Lexa looks up and all around, only finding small shifts of sunlight peaking through in odd areas. It is very offputting and her mind begins to run through every scenario as to why she would be here.

It’s very unlikely that Clarke had managed to fight off everyone that was surrounding her and take her as a prisoner, mainly because she had no reason to and the girl had no capabilities to do so yet. It may be that she was taken by a hidden traitor to be used as a bartering tool later. Or, her worst theory- Azgeda slipped in under a moment of weakness and now she is a prisoner of Queen Nia. 

Breathe, she tells herself. There is a way out of this. Outstretching her hands she walks cautiously around the room, trying not to trip over the rocks misplaced all over the floor. She runs along the walls trying to find a way out, the cracks in them catching her fingers as she does.

The cool walls don’t shift under her fingertips and the texture seems to be unchanging until a dip falls underneath them. It’s metal, she presses both hands flush against the piece and gives a firm jolt to it. Hearing a rattle she guesses it’s a door and begins to work her way around, attempting to locate a handle or knob. On the lower right side she finds a latch, gripping it she yanks it to the left. It doesn't give the first time, so Lexa tries again but this time she puts her whole body weight into it.

The door releases like some type of sealed vault and Lexa tumbles to the floor in her efforts. Well, if someone was around they'd have most certainly heard her. She stays where she is for a few moments, barely breathing in attempt to hear beyond the room. But nothing can be heard, no footsteps or shouts coming her way so she stands cautiously and comes to the door where a hazy light shines in. 

It seems like there is some type of small, straight up tunnel made of rocks that the door is placed in, Lexa peers up to where it exits and can see the blue grey sky. She starts to climb the small cliff, as she does so one of the unsturdy ledges beneath her foot slips out. This causes her to reach out in surprise and grab onto whatever is nearest to her at the moment, its a sharp piece of metal. Lexa hisses between her teeth and feels the cut deep on her left palm, black blood begins dripping down her forearm. It reminds her of her fight with Roan. But still, she persists and eventually makes her way out. The sun surrounding her as she emerges is blinding to say the least and it takes her a bit to adjust to the harsh light. Expecting to find some type of encampment set up around her or a village it is neither of those things. Actually, it is nothing she could have ever expected to find before. 

It is Polis, of course. And it is in rubble. She looks around and see's smoke rising from long burning fires that have yet to lose their roar. The once market is now nothing but fallen buildings and crushed storefronts. It cuts her deeper than the wound on her hand does, this hurts her very soul. The Commander takes dull steps forward, minding the sharp pricks of stones on her bare feet as tears fall freely from her eyes. She makes no motions to wipe them away when she mourns her city and her people. 

Praimfaya has left a scorched mark on her world. She gazes to the left and sees her mighty tower reduced to nothing but a crumpled structure. Lexa doesn't know how to react or know what to do, so she stands there. She stands there for what must be hours as her great city smolders. Her silent tears eventually dry stiff tracks onto her face and the bitterness of the world eats at her.

Eventually though, some type of movement catches the corner of her eye in the damages of the tower. Picking her head up, Lexa watches and waits, not even attempting to grab something to defend herself. Rocks are moved and shuffled until a a golden halo appears and the Trikru girl is amazed at what she sees. Clarke stands atop the ruins in a position of power and grace. She is too far to make out any type of definitive facial featured but she knows it is her. And so Lexa does the only thing she can think to do in this moment, she goes to her. 

The blonde is several hundred yards away from her but she doesn't care, she sprints the way. She leaps over the debris of the city, being careful to not step on daunting pieces and bring injury to herself. Her thighs burn, it has been a long time since she's ran like this and it feels like her life is depending on it. Maybe it is. 

"Klarke!" Lexa calls to her as her arms swing by her sides, slightly out of breath. She makes it to her and the minute it took to get to Clarke was suspenseful. The other leader never looked at her though, she kept her eyes locked dead on in front of her while Lexa ran. 

Lexa's knees hit the remains of the tower that Clarke is standing on and her hands fall ahead, black blood smearing across a particularly large piece of walling in the shape of her hand. She is getting ready to climb to her lover but the movement of the blonde stops her. She gasps when she sees her, closer now. Clarke is obviously older, worry lines are carved into her forehead and her once long hair is cut short and stained red in some places. Blue eyes look down in confusion as her green ones look up in awe. 

"Klarke..." Lexa whispers, her tongue clicking the k. She is completely mystified by this version of the girl she loves, looking so similar but so distant. Without knowing, she begins to cry again.

"...Lexa?" The way she says her name in disbelief is concerning, how did she not hear her calling to her and see her running?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to google how long it takes someone to run 300 yards and its averaged 75 seconds, so it only took Lexa about a minute cause shes a seasoned warrior :)  
> -Nic


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a supernatural element to this? But not really...  
> -Nic

The way Clarke said her name and looked at her with so much anguish made her own heart ache. Lexa stayed frozen where she was at the base of the debris, unable to look away from this version of her past lover. The blood steadily flowing from her wound begins to drip down the slab of wall where her hand is placed she stays there for so long.  


The blonde is the first to break their staring contest, she squeezes her eyes shut tight as her eyebrows bunch together and a grimace overtakes her face, trying to hold back her tears. "It's not real." Lexa hears her whisper to herself. "She's not real." She says it louder this time, Clarkes fingers start to pull at the roots of her hair when she does. The Commander watches as Clarke peaks open one of her eyes to look at her and then slams it shut when she does. It's concerning but Lexa is so completely in shock she doesn't know what to do, but her body begins to move accordingly. Climbing up to the crying girl who is viciously shaking her head back and forth.  


"Wake up, wake up, wake up..." She hears the mutters tumbling from her lips as she gets closer.  


"Klark..?" Lexa tenderly reaches her not bleeding hand out to touch her arm.  


"Don't fucking touch me!" Her features are wild and she knocks away Lexa's attempt at comfort. The brunette cannot help but stumble back in surprise at the outburst. Clarke keeps her gaze on her, studying her. 

"You..." She points brokenly. "You're dead. You've been dead." She begins shaking her head again.  


"I'm here." Lexa tries to reassure her and steps closer, but Clarke counteracts with one backwards.  


"You've really come back to haunt me this time, haven't you?" The broken leader questions. "Just lurking in the shadows wasn't enough?" She yells at her. Clarke is truly chipped to her very soul.  


"Clarke I- I don't know what you are talking about..." Lexa has been confused recently due to given situations, but this encounter with the other woman is puzzling.  


"I know I could have saved you, is that what you want to hear? I've been beating myself up over it every-single-fucking day." Clarke is obviously hurt and her anger is beginning to brew. Lexa recognizes it as the signs of acceptance. She went through something very similar with Costia, she spent hours cursing and throwing things at Titus as a way of coming to terms. "I was too caught up in the idea of losing you that I didn't even treat you the way I should have and I did lose you because of it." Hot streams of tears pour down the blondes face.  


"Clarke," she tries again. "I'm here. I don't know how but I am."  


"No, you aren't. If you were here none of this shit-" She throws her arms up to indicate the world around them. "would have ever happened. If you were here I wouldn't be alone..." Clarke says the last part softly and closes her blue orbs, beginning to sob harder. Lexa goes to grab Clarke's shoulder, to try and get her to look her in the face so she can completely assure her that she's there but when she does her hand does not land. It just keeps going through the blondes body as if there is nothing there. Lexa gasps softly and retracts her limb immediately as she registers what just happened. Examining her extremity she hears Clarke begin to talk and looks up to meet her.  


"You're just a ghost." Her words are hallow as she says them, almost as if she has said them a hundred different times before. And, when Lexa begins to think about it; it all starts to make sense.

Clarke’s here and so is she, but not really. Lexa begins to recall one of the images that flashed before her when she was in the forest with Anya, prior to getting sent back. It was Polis after Praimfaya, it was this very scene that she is standing in now. The gears in her head begin to work and crank as it becomes clearer. 

If this was what the future is- was, then Clarke was hurting immensely from her passing. Lexa understands the way she is reacting to her now; seeing someone who’s been haunting you for such a long time so close. She just wonders how many other ghosts linger behind the blonde especially with all of the deaths she has on her hands. But she doesn’t understand why she is here. Is she supposed to comfort the other woman? Reassure her that none of this is her fault? 

”I don’t blame you for my death, Klark.” The Commander judges her face as she says this. “You couldn’t save me if my spirit was supposed to go to the next.” Clarke sets her mouth in a hard line and shakes her head no, tears still coming down. 

“I could have tried.” As the words left her mouth the fallen tower beneath Lexa’s feet opens up and drags her down.

A scream makes it way out of her throat at the suddenty of it. Falling, falling, falling; Lexa hates it. She tries to grab at anything to stop but as she tumbles and turns there’s not any possible way to. An impending doom crushes her chest as she knows she is getting closer to the end of this. 

”Lexa!” The voice echos down the hole to her. 

The Commander closes her eyes and tightens up every muscle of her body to prepare for the impact soon to come, but before she can splatter at the bottom she feels two hands grip hardly onto her shoulders and yank her up. 

Lexa opens her green orbs in surprise and flinches, fighting the person holding her. She is no longer in the dark pit she had been free-falling through. But rather, she’s in the pop up bed that follows with her command tent. 

”What..?” She asks to herself, unbelieving. Only now does she follow the hands on her body, moving along pale arms to look Clarke in the face. She seems concerned, but her body is frozen in fear. Lexa moves away from her face to see Anya, Indra, and Gustus holding their weapons pointed at Clarke. 

”Whatever you have done to her skai girl, you will pay with your life.” Anya threatens, making it appear like more of a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully things are clearing up, if not please feel free to ask or stay tuned for upcoming chapters :)  
> -Nic


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I love Anya and Indra. But Lexa is very protective of Clarke, ESPECIALLY after losing her. So I'm not hating on them or making their characters assholes, trust me they'll talk about it  
> -Nic

"Remove your hand's from the Commander if you wish to keep them. Now." Indra steps in, setting the blade of her sword against Clarke's neck. Fearfully and slowly, she feels the pressure leave her shoulders. The dark skinned woman rips the blonde leader from her spot that was beside Lexa and roughly wrestles her into a choke hold. Fire shoots down Lexa's spine at the sight. 

"Let go of her, Indra." He voice is dangerously calm, honestly- she isn't even sure where the composure she is presenting is coming from. The dream she just woke up from still has her reeling. 

"But, Heda-" The general tries to protest. 

"I said, let her go." She all but growls. Lexa gets up from her place on the bed to take a stand of power. 

"You shouldn't do that." Clarke squeaks out from her current position and all eyes go to her. "You still have a fever..." The brunette looks at her, silently pleading her to be quiet and allow her to handle this situation before it gets even more out of hand. She seems to understand and quiets down, defiance written across her face despite her predicament. Typical Clarke. 

"She is trying to kill you, Commander." Anya comes in and bravely points out. 

"How so?" Lexa questions, finding it very hard to believe. 

"The skai girl was leaving with Gostos to go back to her camp when I found you on the ground. She came running back in saying that she was a healer and that she could help you." The words come out clipped and sharp as she says them, explaining the events after she lost consciousness. "She began telling us to gather these plants and medicines. Nyko was sent for immediately but Tondisi is a ways away. You were out for hours, Heda, and woke up screaming." 

"So you allowed her to treat me?" Lexa perks a brow upwards behind her calm mask. 

"We... did not have a choice, Heda." Anya's face blanches slightly at the question; to anyone else she would have seemed unfazed but Lexa knew she was making her squirm. 

"You took the word of a person from the sky and decided to entrust her with my life?" All Anya can do is swallow hard. She was not truly upset with her old mentor or Indra, she knew they were just doing their jobs of protecting her but fighting against her word made her draw the line. After all, some appearances must be upheld. "I see." She hums when an answer is not given. 

Another gona comes into the tent then and can be heard trucking his way back towards the action in the sectioned off room. Upon his entering, he slows and takes in the sight before him. Indra still has Clarke in a choke, and Anya and Lexa are standing toe to toe as if they are ready to start throwing punches. Gustus is off to the corner, unsure of which side to pick. Lexa cuts her attention to the man. 

"Heda..?" The young warrior gulps. "Nyko kom Trikru ste hir." 

"Mochof, yu laik dised." She nods to him and he quickly makes his way out of the tense atmosphere. "As laik te risk gon yu." 

"Comman-" Anya tries but Lexa holds her hand up. 

"Em pleni." The born leader moves from the area of the bed to stand in front of Clarke and Indra. "Release the leader of the sky people, General." The dark woman does so, if a bit begrudgingly. "Gostos." 

"Sha?" The burly man speaks after staying quiet for so long. 

"Please, return Clarke to her people. No exceptions." Clarifying her command, he nods his head and offers an arm to the blonde. Clarke looks to Lexa for a moment but then proceeds to Gustus. The two take their exit; Anya and Indra on the other side linger behind. So, she settles them with a hard stare and they follow soon after. Lexa cares for the both of them and is happy to have Anya back in this world but they have moments where they purely test her sanity. 

She stays in her secluded room for a few moments, shaking her head before going to the main section. As she does she finds Nyko standing in the center, feeling awkward with the dissipating tension

"Heda." He greets her. 

"Hei, Nyko." She responds, going to take her place on the carved throne. 

"I was told that you are ill, is everything alright?" The tall man asks her. Truthfully, it feels like since the moment she woke up she hasn't had a chance to breathe. But now that things are settling and there is no threat of a bloodbath occurring in her room she realizes how exhausted she is. Although still feeling better and cooler than what she was before passing out. 

"I ache and I am tired." She states, both true statements. "But it seems my condition has improved with the aid of Klark kom Skaikru." 

"She must be an excellent healer then, Commander. From the way the messenger described it to me, you were nearly walking with death." He compliments Clarke inadvertently, this causes the corner of Lexa's lip to curve into a slight smile. 

"Yes... must be." She agrees, her thoughts coming to her. Brows pulling together she calls him, "Nyko?" He looks to her, ready for the question. 

"What would you have used?" Referring to the treatment of her mysterious illness. The Commander remembers Clarke telling her in the past world that they had classes of what she called botany on the Ark. But she also remembers the light of amazement that crossed the blondes features when she took her to the healers tent in Polis. 

"I've never seen these before." She had said, eyes wide as she studied all of the different types of plants and pastes. "Radiation must have altered them..." 

While yes, many warriors carried medications for common poisons and health related issues- it could be possible that the young leader overheard them speaking about it while trekking through. But, after recalling the words that had came directly from Clarke's mouth she knows that there is no possible way that Clarke of this world would have the knowledge of what Trikru healing methods would be used for this type of thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnnnnn ;)  
> -Nic  
> Trigedasleng Translations:  
> Heda..? Nyko kom Trikru ste hir. - Commander..? Nyko of the tree people is here.  
> Mochof, yu laik dised. - Thank you, you are dismissed.  
> As laik te risk gon yu. - As are the rest of you.  
> Em pleni. - Enough.  
> Sha? - Yes?  
> Hei, Nyko. - Hello, Nyko.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My life is a mess and really hectic right now so I don't have much time to write at the moment, hopefully that will change though :) I apologise for the late update but I hope you all enjoy  
> -Nic

Lexa had promised Nyko that she would rest for the remainder of the day and not aggravate herself any further. To anyone else, the reason as to why their Heda fainted is mysterious- but she had reasons to believe it wasn't all that strange. She is getting sort of used to going this somewhat other world, it reminds her of when she meditates and meets with the past Commanders. But Lexa knows that this isn't just another world, it's the future if she doesn't stop this madness before it begins. The young leader begins to ponder while resting in her bed for the evening.

The man called Jaha has not yet fallen from the sky, if she can eliminate him as a catalyst soon then hopefully the threat of praimfaya will be gone. Getting Chancellor Abigail to agree to his death is another task, however. She will undoubtedly try and spare him, especially if Lexa does not come up with a conceivable reason for his execution. Everyone would think her mad if she told them she had already lived this life and knows the outcome. 

Then there is also the question of if the A.I. will still be present, without a host. Lexa will need to send warriors to the island where the tek is and destroy it, she had seen in the flashes at the forest the Skaikru and Luna overcoming the flying drones. But that's just it, she will need the help of Clarke and her people if she wants to do this. As skilled as her gona's are- they cannot fire an arrow as fast as a bullet comes from a gun. She would know. 

Sighing heavily, Lexa runs a hand down her face to smooth her own frown that formed. She cannot help as her thoughts roam to the blonde; Clarke is as beautiful as ever, more naive than what she was when they first met in the past but Lexa believes that is because she has not truly experienced the ground for what it is just yet. The Commander misses her, not just physically but also the way she had challenged her. No one had ever been allowed to speak to Lexa the way Clarke had and lived to tell about it, especially when they first met. Looking back on it now, Lexa knows that all her panicking and confusion she had felt for the blonde was the beginnings of love. A childish love then, but love nonetheless. It became more real and grown up after Mount Weather, after those three months wondering where her goddess had went. It hit Lexa like a spear to the chest to realize she was in love with Clarke when she found herself unable to sleep at night because she was fretting over the safety of her during her induced isolation. 

She had been willing to accept Clarke's hatred for her if it meant she was able to love herself again, but this time around there will be no betrayals, there will be no tears, and there will certainly not anymore people dying than what is necessary. 

THE NEXT MORNING 

Feeling increasingly better than the previous day, the Commander awakes as dawn's fingertips creep across the surface of her tent with a yawn. She rises and prepares for her day. Another day where she gets to see Clarke. A small smile graces her lips but she quickly kills it, she cannot get ahead of herself. Peace first, whatever comes after is just a bonus.

Her traditional commander attire adorns her body after a few moments and she clasps the pauldron onto her shoulder, quickly setting to work her warpaint. This is not a case of war or battle, but she does not want any of her people or those of the sky to think her weak, so she slicks on her warrior mask. Setting the gear in place between her brows she exits her personal chambers, allowing the bear skin flap to fall in place behind her. Lexa goes to the entrance of her tent and looks out at the camp set up, eyes searching for Gustus and hopefully a particular blonde. She had told him yesterday to fetch her in the morning so they can continue their talk of an alliance. 

"He just left, they will return soon." Anya's voice comes to her ears from the right, sensing what Lexa was looking for. 

The brunette turns to face her old mentor, hands clasping behind her back. "Good morning, Anya." 

She narrows her eyes and cuts right to it without bothering to return the greeting, "Are you feeling better, Heda?" Lexa nods her head. "Good, I have something I wish to discuss with you." 

"Out with it then." She commanded, already knowing where this was going. 

"Why are you so lenient with these branwadas? They know absolutely nothing but yet I hear you are thinking of offering them an alliance?" Anya tries to keep her features schooled as she rains questions down upon her, but the curl of her lip gives away her agitation to Lexa. "And the way you allow that girl to talk to you and treat you, Leksa. Surely you are not clouding your judgement with feelings just because she is pretty." 

Lexa grits her teeth and steels Anya with a look of defiance. "I do not allow anything to cloud my judgement, General. I have reasons for what I am doing and I refuse to be questioned on them. You may have been my mentor when I was young, but do not forget that now I am your Commander." She bites out at her, eyes fierce and on fire. 

Anya's jaw clinches in anger but quickly erases and her head dips. "I'm sorry, Heda. I did not mean to question your decisions." She raises her head to look at the brunette and carefully places a hand on her shoulder. "I'm worried for you, Lexa. I have known you since you were a little girl, and I know the look you get in your eye when a beautiful girl captures your attention." She says this in reference to Costia, Lexa knowns. "All I ask is do not let your heart control your head, it makes you weak." 

Lexa looks away from her gaze then, choosing instead to study the army. "I... am not sure if I believe that anymore, Anya. Perhaps love is what makes me strong."

The General's eyebrows furrow at this sudden shift in attitude towards emotion coming from her. Lexa became cold hearted the very day Costia's head was delivered to her, constantly repeating "love is weakness" over and over again. So this complete turn of what seemingly happened overnight all because of this skai girl has her puzzled. "What is going on inside that mind of yours, yongon?" Anya asks, not as a war general speaking to the commander, but as a friend speaking to a friend. 

Lexa closes her eyes and sighs. "Too much, Onya. Far too much."

"You can tell me, you know I will not tell another soul." She promises. Lexa thinks about it, her mind is screaming at her- she needs to tell someone. Anya might not believe her but she could convince her. All of this knowledge of what will happen is eating at her sanity and she knows it. 

The Commander nods her head and steps back, the hand falling from her shoulder. She motions for Anya to enter her tent first and follows behind. They both make their way in and come to stand at the table off to the side. Lexa pulls out one of the chairs that is there, knowing that she will need to sit down for this and Anya mimics. 

Concern is written all over Anya's face, not often does Lexa act this way and even rarer than that does she confide in her. 

"I am unsure if you will believe anything I am about to say, but know that I am telling the truth and I have absolutely no reason to lie about it." Lexa states and the other woman shakes her head in understanding, waiting for an explanation for the Commanders strange behavior towards the skai people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, tell me what you think :)  
> -Nic


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo, there is quite the plot twist in this chapter so... be prepared ;)  
> Also, this is unbeta-ed(?) so all mistakes are mine and I'm sure I'll go back and fix them as I read through later :)  
> -Nic

Anya sits there expectantly as she attempts to make her voice form words. The warriors fingers begin to tap gently at the wooden table and although no sound comes from it the action alone creates an unknown tension in Lexa.

"Do not think me mad." She states but it comes out pleading, looking into the hazel eyes of her mentor. 

"I would never, Heda." Anya promises when she notices the distress Lexa is in. She inhales sharply and releases the offending breath at a slow rate before she begins to speak. 

"This has happened before, not in this life- but a previous one." The commander tries to explain. 

"You mean... one of the past Commanders has dealt with skai people?" 

"No. Well, yes but not like this. This is different." She shakes her head, confusing herself. Without knowing, her right hand drifts to rest atop her abdomen as if she is guarding it. Anya notes the action and becomes acutely aware that Lexa is beginning to draw in on herself. 

"Then what is it?" A slim brow raises. 

"We have dealt with the skaikru before, in this past life. All of this has already happened, almost like it's being repeated." Lexa's jaw clinches as nervousness eats at her. She doesn't know why she's acting like this. "I know what they are going to do before they do it because I remember, not because the past Commanders have spoken to me. Honestly, they have remained silent since I woke up." 

"Since you woke this morning?" Anya quizzes, following what she is saying but finding it difficult to wrap her head around. 

"Since I woke up in this new life, when the sky people came crashing down. That is when this began for me. I'm not sure why, but I can assume it's because that's when things shifted. Everything prior must have stayed the same otherwise none of us would be here." Lexa begins to ramble, truly thinking of the actions she would have made while she was not consciously aware in this world. 

"So... this has... already happened? The sky falling with these children?" Anya seeks clarification, her forearms coming to rest on top of the table. 

"Sha." 

"And that is how you know their leader... and that they were planning to go to the Mounon." The general begins to connect the points on her own. 

"I am unsure how much things will differ here but so far, they seem to be happening as they were- where I haven't intervened that is." 

"And you fainting? This is because of this other life?" 

"Possibly, there are many things I do not know yet. When I was out though I was taken to the past life where I saw Klark." Her eyes sadden at the image of the blonde atop the Polis tower ruins. Anya notices this as well. 

"Why would you be sent here? Why not back to the other one?" Hazel eyes narrow as Lexa shrugs, her pauldron clinking. 

"I was hoping you could tell me that, you were the one that sent me here." The brunette swallows hard and pulls her hands to her lap. "You were killed escaping the Mounon with Klark, and I... suppose you were close enough to me to be considered a messenger." Her thumb strokes at the area above her belly button and Anya's eyes zero in on the action. The news of her death in this other life does not phase her, she has always accepted death. 

"What happened to you, Heda?" Still looking towards her stomach, Lexa winces slightly. 

"I was shot." It when the words fall from her mumbling lips that she realizes the action her thumb was taking and instantly withdraws it. Anya tilts her head up and leans back in her chair, seemingly angry at this revelation as her fists draw tight. 

"Who was it? I will personally slaughter them." She grits out, eyes with fire. 

"They are not guilty of anything in this world, but trust me. At the first slip up I will have them removed to prevent any chance it may happen again." Lexa resolves as her old mentor relaxes, knowing that her word is law. 

"Sha, Heda." A moment of silence passes between the two, both with their brows drawn together in concentration. Finally, after several minutes Anya speaks. "I think I understand." She says, in reference to this whole situation. 

"You do?" Lexa looks to her. "And you believe me?" 

"Yes. As you said, Leksa; you have no reason to lie to me." She places her palm onto her knee in a comforting manner and offers a small upturn of her lips. "That and the way you look at that blonde girl." Lexa's face pales at this. 

"W-What do you mean?" She stutters out, clearly caught of guard. The look of shock on the strong Commanders features earns a hearty laugh from Anya. 

"You look at her with so much wonder, at first I had thought you were entranced by this new thing that came from the sky; like when you were a yongon when you got a new weapon. But now that I know you met her previously..." She trails off, her smile fading as concern takes over. 

"What is it?" Lexa presses, inching forward. She wants to know what her mentor thinks. 

"I see that you look at her with love." Anya states it simply, so simply that there is no possible way for her to deny it. "You are in love with the skai girl, aren't you?" The dark blonde asks when Lexa makes no advance to deny her previous statement. 

"Yes. I have been for a long time." Admitting it out loud makes it all the more real, Lexa had never told Clarke her true feelings in their past life. 

"That worries me..." Anya begins but the adamant Commander cuts her off. 

"Don't worry, I know that she will most likely not return my feelings and that I need to focus on our people. But, that does not mean I don't want her to become our people, Onya." Lexa tries to soothe her worry but also lay out her plans at once. 

"Heda, you are a great leader and I know that you will do anything to protect us and I will always stand behind you, offering my support." She clarifies. "But that is not what I am worried about." 

Now, more confused than what she had been Lexa's brows furrow- scrunching the gear between them. "What do you mean?" 

"I mean I am worried about Costia and your relationship with her."

The brunettes heart rate picks up at the words that left Anya's mouth and her hands begin to shake so she balls them into fists to make the movement controlled. "Costia is dead." 

The General shakes her head, already knowing that Lexa is saying the her lover is passed in the world she came from. "Not in this life." 

"No. That can't be." She stands abruptly from the table, causing the chair to fall back to the ground. "Why would she be alive? Why did I not see her at Polis, then?" 

"I do not know why she would alive be here but not in the other. But, she went to spend the summer months with Luna in Floukru, saying that she wished to see her sister and aid her with healing refugees." Anya tries to explain, standing to match the now breathless Commander. 

"She died. Nia killed her. Her head was brought to my bed, Anya. I know she's dead." Lexa is trying to reason with herself, knowing that in this life anything is possible. After all, if she was given a second chance why wouldn't others be as well? And who else deserved another chance more than Costia? Life was taken from her too young. 

"Not here, Lexa." As if she was just slapped in the face she whirls to face the taller woman, her eyes wide. 

"Jok. What am I going to do?" She asks Anya but also herself. "I came to terms with her death long ago, but now she is here, alive. And I am in love with a girl from the sky?" Lexa wants to rub her hand down her features but her warpaint stops her, instead she settles for ringing her hands together in front of her. 

"I am... at a loss just as much as you are, Heda. I would believe that that is up for your heart to decide." Anya does as she used to do and mentors Lexa in her mysterious and confusing way that only makes sense after everything is done. It drives her mad. 

But, she does not have much time to dwell on it as one of the guards outside her tent shouts "Heda! Gostos kom Trikru en skai gada." 

"This should be entertaining." Anya muses. "Relax, you have time to figure this out. And you already know a good bit of what's going to happen already so that puts you at an advantage." She picks up the chair Lexa knocked over in her haste to stand up and places both of them back under the lip of the table. 

"It would be an advantage if I wasn't being thrown new things to juggle with." She complains. 

"That is life, yongon. Now, would you like me to stay?" The way Anya asks the question almost feels like the way a mother would ask her child if they wanted her to stay after waking from a nightmare, and in a way- that's what Lexa feels like she's doing. 

"If you would." Is all she says before climbing the few steps to sit upon her glorious throne. Lexa clears her throat and calls for the two waiting outside to enter. As soon as the tent flap is pulled back and Clarke walks in with her blue eyes wide and her golden hair shinning as morning dew clings to the very strands, Lexa thinks clearing her throat was absolutely useless and that she is absolutely screwed because there is no chance that she could ever settle for having Clarke as just an ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the verdict is? Good? Bad? Let me know :)  
> -Nic  
> Trigedasleng Translator:  
> Heda! Gostos kom Trikru en skai gada. - Commander! Gustus from the tree people and the sky girl.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so it's been a little bit, I really don't update consistently. It's kind of whenever I have the time to write? Enjoy? :)  
> -Nic

Lexa's awe at the blonde does not last long when she catches the sight of dark curls that follow closely behind Clarke. The man trailing looks around in a mixture of disgust and amazement at her tent. She immediately becomes worried at this situation and the possible outcomes it could have. Lexa is tense but her body reads relaxed as she leans back slightly in her throne, arm propped up on the rest. Gustus is the last to enter and immediately begins speaking.  


"The sky boy would not take no for an answer, Commander. He would not allow the Skaiprisa to leave unless he came with." The large man dips his head as an apology. Lexa grinds her teeth into each other from pure annoyance with Bellamy Blake when he raises his chin higher and puffs out his chest in defiance, but she easily keeps her composure. Gustus goes and stands at the exit of the tent, anticipating anything while Lexa eyes the boy dangerously.  


"Heda..." It is Clarke who speaks now, sensing the tension building. Her voice forms warily around the word with the new language. She steps forward to the base of the steps and stops to look directly into green eyes before continuing. "If I may; Bellamy can be useful." 

"How is that?" Lexa's brow raises questioningly. "As far as I am concerned he is nothing more than a child wielding a dangerous weapon." At her comment, the man steps forward to defend his honor. Anya grabs the hilt of her sword, ready to cut him down but Clarke stops him with a hand to the chest and pushes him back. 

"Bellamy, not now." She turns her attention back to the brunette leader. "The delinquents listen to him in a way that I can't get them to. People are beginning to get restless at camp, most want to go to Mount Weather."  


"If they do then this truce is over." Lexa clarifies, muscles straining to keep calm. 

"I know, that's what I told them but they won't listen. At least to me." She shakes her head slightly as if to clear it. "But him, they will." Clarke nods her head to the Blake boy. 

"You are their leader." Anya says to Clarke. 

"Not officially, it's kind of split right now. Some side with me, others with Bellamy." 

"I told them we wait until tomorrow to go to the Mountain, at least hear out what Queen of the Grounders has to offer." Bellamy buts in, stating his place and completely disregarding what the General was saying. 

"I am no Queen." 

"She isn't a Queen." 

Both Clarke and Lexa say at the same time. Lexa tilts her head slightly at the thought of Clarke remembering her saying that. 

"Queen, Commander, same thing." He tries to brush off. 

"You sky people are ignorant." Anya comes back snarling. Anger beginning to radiate off of her from the pure disrespect that this boy is giving her Commander. 

"Onya." Lexa raises her hand. "No." Hazel eyes cut to her and back to Bellamy but finally settle as she relaxes her posture and removes the death grip she had on pommel of her sword. "The education of your people about our ways will come with time. Right now, all I need is your allegiance." She says easily.

Bellamy scoffs, "What do we get out of this truce anyways?"  


"I am unsure if you noticed or not due to your bravado but I have an entire army camped right outside of your ship." The Commander leans forward in her throne to stare the sky boy down. "Whether or not I will use it to protect you or lay waste to your people is up to you." Bellamy swallows hard but does not break the eye contact. Lexa's first thought is that his brown eyes are not pretty unlike Clarke's light blue ones. Her second thought is how incredibly stupid this man is for challenging her this way.  


"We don't need you. As soon as we get to Mount Weather and get those supplies you're done for. You may have adapted to radiation but there is no way you're bulletproof." He smirks, seemingly proud of himself. Lexa leans back, resuming her lax posture to taunt him.  


"And what will you do when the people inside the Mountain take you?" She asks, he seems thrown off upon hearing that humans live inside. It seems Clarke may not have told her people the whole story. Lexa rises from her thrown and begins to descend the steps. "What will you do when they strap you to a table and begin drilling for your bone marrow?" As she places her feet in front of her, Bellamy places his back. "Tell me what you would do, Bellamy Blake, when those monsters take every one you have ever cared for and drain them dry just so they can go outside?"  


His back hits one of the support beams inside the tent and he stutters out "I-I-I..." before dropping his head.  


"You and your people do not understand the torment my own have gone through. They turn men into beasts and the living to ash. If you go there they will slaughter you." She turns to Clarke. "This alliance is your best chance at surviving."  


"We accept whatever is necessary." The blonde nods her head, Bellamy does not protest this as he slinks his way around the Commander to stand behind Clarke like a scolded child.  


"Good." Lexa says curtly. She is unsure what posses her to say what comes out of her mouth next, but she doesn't have enough time to think about it before the words have already left. "Life should be about more than just surviving after all." 

Clarke's mouth drops slightly in surprise and her eyes widen as she processes the brunettes words; Lexa swears she hears blonde woman's breath catch in her throat. Her entire body language changes as she stiffens and her pupils lock onto something past Lexa.  


"Klark?" She asks cautiously, taking a daring step closer she does not blink or move. Lexa looks to Anya and says "Take him and leave." The General nods her head, seeming to understand before grabbing Bellamy roughly under his arm and forcing him to the tents flap.  


"Hey! Wait! Clarke!" He shouts, trying to wrestle out of Anya's grip but Gustus comes up. Bellamy tries to move him out of the way to get to Clarke but Gustus towers over him and the efforts are useless. The burly man pushes him outside where his calls of displeasure are muffled through the layers of thick fabric and leathers of the command tent.

Lexa makes her way to Clarke, paying no mind to the commotion going outside. She is much more worried about what is happening in front of her. Coming to a stop a couple of feet in front of Clarke, she calls her name again, her tongue clicking the K as it always does. But it is met with the same deep stare and Lexa's hand begins moves on its own accord; coming up to rest on the other girls shoulder in a hopefully comforting manner. When her palm touches the softened leather of Clarke's jacket it seems to bring her out of whatever state she was in as she blinks heavily and slowly a few times.  


Clarke shakes her head and her fingers come to rest on her right temple. "What..." She breathes, brows coming together in confusion. Blue eyes look to the ground and after seeing the furs laid there, they dance to the walls. From the walls to the pitch of the tent and everything in between. But not once does she look at the other woman in front of her.  


"Klark." She says her name once again, letting her hand drop from her shoulder and the blonde responds this time, her blue pools dropping down from the roof to land on her. Clarke's nostrils flair slightly at how sharply she inhales when she see's the Commander.  


"Lexa."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? ;)  
> -Nic


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See notes at end for info. :)

Lexa swallows thickly at hearing her name come from the blondes lips, it is the first time she has said her name in this world. 

"Are you alright?" She draws her arms behind her to clasp her hands as she asks. Clarke looks to her feet and draws a deep breath in before exhaling slowly. 

"I think so." 

"You think?" Lexa presses. 

"Yes." She raises her head but the emotion on her face is barely concealed, a cruel trick she hasn't mastered yet. The Commander notes it as a mixture of confusion and terror. "I need to go." Clarke whispers as she makes to leave the tent and the strange tension that is quickly rising. Before Lexa can protest she is barreling past her and out the entrance, the bear skin whooshing as it falls behind her. Lexa stands dumbfounded at the change of events that have happened in mere minutes. It's what she said, she realises, about life and surviving. It may have been a trigger. 

Is Clarke remembering her? Or at least remembering pieces of her previous life? Oh how amazing it would be if Clarke remembered, at least a small amount. Granted Lexa would much rather have her know everything; her body craves to hold the blonde like a lover again. Not to mention how much easier it would all be, Anya may know but at the same time she doesn't. To the General the knowledge of this past world is nothing but a forgotten piece that cannot be changed. But to Lexa it is so much more. 

It is the future as well if she can't make the right choices, the hardest part being not knowing what is right though. There are so many opportunities and different paths to take in this life and every single one leads to the same fate as the last- except one. While she may be the Commander of the twelve clans, she fears that this may be too much weight to have even on her shoulders, she does not want to be the reason everyone perishes. Lexa is scared of this world, this responsibility, the possibility of failing her people. Again.

So she does the only thing her head (and heart) find most reasonable, she follows Clarke. The blonde seems to be the answer to all of her troubles, after all. She shakes herself out of the daze she was momentarily in and stumbles past the animal skin acting as a barrier, and into the outside world. The morning light is brighter than the interior of the tent and it takes a few seconds to adjust but once they do Bellamy Blake is in her face, yelling. 

"What did you do to her?" He shouts as Anya holds him back by his recently bound hands. Convenient. 

"Absolutely nothing." Lexa glares. 

"Bullshit. Then why'd she just go running past crying?" He seethes, face red and hot. 

"Which way?" She asks the General, completely dismissing Bellamy. Anya nods her head to the right and Lexa follows where she's signaling to see a clear beaten path taken through the trees and foliage. 

"Handle him." Lexa instructs. "Gustus, gather a few gonas and come with me." And with that she takes off to the treeline, thankful Clarke cannot cover her tracks just yet.

She navigates her way through the forest easily enough and quite confident she'll find the blonde in no time- she couldn't of gotten far after all and with the help of the four men trailing and spanning out behind her to cover more ground, it puts all the more odds in her favor. Lexa watches carefully for boot prints, flattened grass, and broken twigs as she walks on high alert. All the signs that Clarke did in fact go through this part and in this direction. But, not that long into the Commanders tracking does she realise Clarke chose the most dangerous territory to be trekking through and it seems her warriors realise the same. The large, grey, crumbling structure that inhabits an awful beast now lays before them. As if reliving their encounters again, the Pauna's roar echo's through the surrounding area and Lexa's blood runs cold because she is not with the blonde this time. She doesn't even know where she is, all she knows is that she has to find Clarke now. She breaks out running and her guards shout at her. 

"Heda! Stop! It's not safe!" Gustus yells but she cannot hear him over the heartbeat pounding like a war drum in her ears. Lexa is afraid; not that her recklessness in the situation may get her killed but because Clarke may already be dead. 

If Clarke dies in this world from a joking Pauna, Lexa will lose it. She is not going to let that happen- there's no way it can happen, not when she's been given this second chance to fix things.

"Clarke!" She calls, still running and not even caring if it puts the beast on her heels. "Where are you?" 

"Lexa?" She hears as she sprints past a once enclosure. At first it doesn't even register in the Commanders mind that she got a reply, but once it does she skids to a halt and turns back. 

"Clarke?" She asks, curving around the doorway to find the terrified blonde standing there low against the wall. "Klark." Lexa breathes a sigh of relief and against her own protests her body moves to hug the other girl. Two feet away though, another roar rips out around them, much closer this time, causing Clarke to jerk away last second. 

The roof to the enclosure shutters as the beast lands harshly on its top; dust sprinkles down from the impact and Lexa looks towards her once lover. She places a single finger over her lips as a way of telling her to be quiet. The animal can be heard walking around above them, huffing and grunting; occasionally banging its large fists on the concrete out of agitation. There is no way the two of them would be able to run away and both of them still be breathing by the end of it. She glances around the room the two are now confined too and see's that there is another, smaller, door in the back corner. 

She leans in close to Clarke and whispers "Go." nodding in the direction of the tiny exit. Lexa carefully and slowly slides her feet to the entrance of the artifical cave, Clarke looks at her with wide eyes- silentely screaming 'What are you doing?' 

The brunette dips her chin in a way of saying 'trust me' before reaching a tan hand out into the view of the Pauna and grabbing at the gate. Lexa remembers this from the last time she and Clarke were in this predicament. At first, it doesn't budge. Many years of unuse making the hinges stick together. Lexa's nostrils flare out of agitation, she glances back to where the blonde was and finds that the other girl is crouched down in the frame of the exit looking at her with wide, scared eyes. Lexa turns back and risk's peeping her head out the door frame to see exactly where the gorilla is. 

By some luck, it's back is to her. So, she reaches her other hand out and grips the bars tightly. She pulls harder and quicker causing the metal to creak. Lexa curses mentally when she hears the beast shuffle around above her and as a last second desicion she pulls at the bars with all her might. The rust gives way and so does the Pauna's patience with this game. It roars and leaps down right infront of the Commander, immediately throwing its fully body weight onto the iron bars. Lexa lets out a gasp but quickly scrambles up from her position on the floor. She heads straight for Clarke, the other girl backing out of the way so she can get through. 

The old gate breaks just as Lexa slides through the tiny opening and into an open field. She watches as the terrifying monster comes barreling at her, howling the whole way as it reaches one of its long arms out to her. Its open palm misses the wisps of her hair by mere inches. The Commander though, is safely on the other side of the enclosure while the Pauna is left stuck, trying to grab at both girls.

Lexa is heaving air and her adrenaline is spiked, she turns to Clarke to see what state she's in. The blondes eyes are locked on the black fur but the movement from Lexa cause her to look up into her green eyes. Slowly, a smile begins to overtake her face until it is radiating. It's absolutely beautiful and it takes the already miniscule breath straight from Lexa's lungs. Against herself, she too starts to grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so here's what's up, I haven't abandoned this story- I'm not gonna do that. However, it may take me longer to upload chapters. Don't get mad, I have a very valid reason. For those that don't know, I'm writing a book and as of right now I'm in the process of being watched by a few publishers. The issue is though my book isn't complete yet. So, when I'm not at school or work I'm writing that. I need to have x amount written by x day in order to keep them interested so for NOW, this story has moved to a back burner. I hope you all can understand :) ALSO, my writing style- as I'm sure some of you may have noticed, did change in this chapter. I am adapting my fanfic style to match my professional style, hopefully you guys like it?
> 
> -xoxo Nic

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? I really want to turn this into a multi-chap  
> -Nic


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